How to do research in Engineering & Applied Sciences

Library resources for researchers working on applied math, applied physics, bioengineering, computer science, electrical engineering, environmental science & engineering, materials science & mechanical engineering, and quantum science & engineering.

START WITH GOOD KEYWORDS

Topic-specific keywords will help improve your results in a general multidisciplinary database like Google, Google Scholar, HOLLIS, or Academic Search Premier. 

Add keywords like these to your search:

  • Soft robotics
  • Human-computer interaction (HCI)
  • Smart textiles

UPGRADE YOUR SEARCH: KEY DATABASES

The best tool for your project may be a specialized search engine, also known as a database. These databases are subject-specific or format-specific search tools:

Inspec (via HarvardKey) – This database offers access to technical literature, including journal articles, conference proceedings, reports, patents, and more. It covers topics such as physics, electrical engineering, electronics, communications, control engineering, computer science, information technology, and manufacturing and production engineering.

arXiv – An open-access preprint repository that provides scholarly articles in physics, mathematics, computer science, quantitative biology, electrical engineering, and systems science. However, these articles are not peer-reviewed.

Dig Deeper

The Engineering and Applied Sciences Research Guide and the Computer Science Library Research Guide provide helpful information on selecting databases to find articles, books, conference proceedings, dissertations and theses, patents, industry standards, and technical reports on a variety of areas.

CONNECT WITH US 

Robyn Rosenberg, the library liaison to engineering and applied sciences, is available to support researchers via email, zoom, or in-person consultation.

RELATED FAQS 

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    •  your Harvard affiliation
    • the project you'd like help with
    • whether it's for a particular class, faculty member or department

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